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Pedro Martinez returned to the Dominican Republic to be with his sick father on Wednesday, delaying plans to test his ailing hamstring.

Martinez had planned to rejoin the New York Mets for a bullpen session Wednesday. But a Mets spokesman said Martinez, intending to fly to Atlanta, left a flight in Miami on Wednesday after he received word through an e-mail that his father, Pablo Jaime, sustained a medical setback that morning.

Jaime, 78, has a form of brain cancer.

Martinez told The Associated Press that he doesn't know how long he will stay in the Dominican Republic.

Martinez, 36, has been on the disabled list since April 2 with a strained left hamstring.

Martinez said therapy for his leg injury is going well and that he expects to play soon.

''I'm throwing well and working out,'' he said. ''My arm is in great condition and the speed is good, surpassing more than 90 miles an hour.''

Martinez denied rumors that he will retire soon and said he wants to play for at least another two seasons.

In his latest rehab appearance in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Martinez pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed two runs, one earned, against St. Louis' minor leaguers. He topped out at 90 mph on the radar gun.

Mets manager backtracks

New York Mets manager Willie Randolph issued an apology Wednesday to team ownership, the club's TV network and his players ''for the unnecessary distraction'' he created by suggesting he was portrayed in a different manner than white managers.

Randolph, the Mets' first black manager, created a stir with comments he made that appeared Monday in The Record of Hackensack, N.J.

Randolph brought up race when he questioned the way he has been presented by SNY, the team's TV network.

''Is it racial?'' Randolph was quoted in the story. ''Huh? It smells a little bit. . . . I don't know how to put my finger on it, but I think there's something there.''

Before the Mets played the Braves on Wednesday, Randolph said, ''I shouldn't have said what I said. It was a mistake. As simple as that. It was a mistake. And there is no excuse for that. No excuses. I own up to it. The fact of life is that we haven't been playing very well as a team. We've been very inconsistent. We've talked about that before. When it happens, you're going to get criticized for that. I understand that.''

Randolph said he wasn't asked by Mets management to issue the apology.

Cox gives timetable for Smoltz

One day after John Smoltz said he would not set a timetable on his return from the disabled list, Braves manager Bobby Cox did the job for him.

Cox also gave a projected timetable for the returns of two more injured Braves pitchers, Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano.

''I think within the next 12 days all three of them will be up here - or close,'' Cox said.

Smoltz, 41, has been on the disabled list since April 29 with a sore right shoulder. He said he was still dealing with inflammation and discomfort after his two bullpen sessions last week but had better success on Tuesday.

Smoltz is 3-2 with a 2.00 ERA in five starts.

Gonzalez, a left-handed reliever, is returning from Tommy John elbow ligament-replacement surgery.

Soriano, who opened the season as the closer, has been out since April 9 with a sore elbow.

Around the horn

Angels: Los Angeles activated infielder Chone Figgins off the 15-day disabled list, but saw infielder Erick Aybar land on the 15-day DL with a dislocated right pinky that is expected to sideline him for the next four weeks.

Tigers: Detroit recalled pitcher Dontrelle Willis and placed reliever Clay Rapada on the 15-day disabled list with biceps tendinitis.

Rangers: Right-handed reliever Franklyn German was designated for assignment by Texas, who recalled right-hander Kameron Loe.